blackleg5932:

for @pxrtgasdace // @pxratehunter

also mentioned: @theoceanslibrarian

It had been a busy day on the Sunny, especially for the cook who had been working in the galley since the early morning hours. Sanji was just finishing up cleaning the dishes from their excessive lunch, his mind already on some quick snacks for the afternoon tea time.

The ship had quieted down a bit after a very rowdy forenoon, the good lunch meal settling in the stomachs of everyone, making some a bit drowsy, others not so much.

Ace and Aya were aboard the Sunny, frequent guests so much that they could count as honorary members of the crew really. After lunch, Robin and Nami had decided to go shopping to walk off the meal with a stroll. They had asked Aya to join them but it seemed that she preferred to stay on the ship for some reason.

Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were down on the beach, playing around and keeping their shenanigans to themselves, while Franky was in his lab, tinkering away at something. From the aquarium you could quietly hear the tunes of a violine coming through.

Zoro and Ace were on deck and involved in some kind of silly physical competition, Aya lounging around on a chair a few feet away. With everyone scattered like that, Sanji did not have too much to do. He decided to make some refreshing drinks for the people in close vicinity, which meant smoothies for the muscle heads, a milkshake for Brook and a soft drink for Aya.

When he had finished making the drinks and putting them on a tray - Brook’s milkshake was sent directly to the aquarium through the dumbwaiter - Sanji stepped out of the galley, half leaning over the railing to look down at the grass deck. The Marimo and Ace had been at it for a while and it seemed they were still going strong, currently competing in push-ups.

Sanji shook his head at the macho behaviour and elegently walked down the stairs to their level. He ignored both men, who were grinning like maniacs, the spark of a challenge glinting in their eyes, obviously they had fun. Instead, Sanji walked up to Aya, flashing her a bright smile, bowing slightly. “Mademoiselle,” he addressed her playfully, handing the soft drink to her and enjoying her giggle.

“Are you enjoying yourself? Mind if I keep you company for a while?” Sanji waited until Aya had agreed to his company before sitting down on the grass beside her chair, the tray with the smoothies placed down carefully on his side. He knew he had no chance serving the drinks to the guys when they were in the middle of their weird work-out game.

From the pack in the breast pocket of his shirt Sanji fished out and lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply on the first drag and enjoying the leisure time.

Zoro and Ace seemed to have somehow silently agreed to switch disciplines, stopping their push-ups to jump up and cling to the railing in front of the galley to start their pull-ups.

Sanji rolled his eyes at that. How was this supposed to be different when the exercise was still all about arm and upper body strength? Fucking morons. And yet, somehow he felt his eyes drawn to the repetitive movements. The bulging biceps, the rippling back muscles, no excessive sweating but a thin sheen of perspiration on those tanned skins.

Zoro’s back was pristine, no scar marred the flesh there, unmarked, the pride of a swordsman. Ace’s back was covered in ink, he carried Whitebeard’s symbol, shouting to the world a different kind of pride.

Both men were a sight for sore eyes, so Sanji shamelessly kept his gaze glued to them, his tongue playing with the butt of his smoke between his lips, making the cigarette flip up and down in playful absent-mindedness.

“Are you, uhm, enjoying the view?” Aya’s cheeky remark pulled Sanji out of his thoughtlessness and he leaned back on his hands, looking up at her sitting in her chair. He grinned and shrugged. “It is quite a sight, isn’t it?” She couldn’t help but agree with a flush adorning her cheeks. He thought he finally understood why she had chosen to stay on the ship today instead of a day out with the girls.

Sanji knew that her heart was beating for Ace and vice versa, his own had chosen the Marimo, oh well…Cupid could take some lessons from Usopp.

“Let’s rate them ‘objectively’.” Their opinions were clearly biased, but Sanji decided to have his own little game with Aya, who he considered as a sister and felt very comfortable around. While normally shy and easily flustered, Aya indulged him and quickly joined the discussion about who had better muscles where and why. It was just silly chitchat with mock-serious rating systems and a lot of giggling from both of them.

At some point it must have become quite distracting because Zoro and Ace finally stopped their pointless show-off match and walked over to them. “What are you talking about?” Ace asked with a charming smile, obviously intrigued by whatever fun conversation they seemed to be having. Zoro on the other hand just remarked “you’re annoying,” even though he did not really look that annoyed at all.

“Oh I’m afraid it’s none of your business.” Sanji smiled back at both men and, seeing his chance, offered them the smoothies he had prepared a while back. Like drowning men, Ace and Zoro guzzled down the drinks, lacking any and all manners.

Heads thrown back, the liquid was quickly downed, their Adam’s apples bobbing with every gulp. Aya choked on her last sip at the sight and Sanji laughed at her plight, amused and surprised at the same time at how many more indecent thoughts she held in her mind than he had ever expected.

Sanji himself stole a few glances at those pecs and abs before he had to switch back to less suspicious behaviour.